Beauty's only skin deep
by Meme-Ann
Summary: Julie Gaffney has never been one of the beautiful people, but when Luis asks her to act like his girlfriend all new doors open up. She just may be changed forever.
1. Define perfection

~* I don't own the Ducks, I do own Justin Mathews and the rest of Luis's friends.*~

Define perfection, picture it in your mind. What is that you see? What is the embodiment of purity and beauty too you? Is there really such a thing as perfection, something so flawless that outside world could never taint it? The last place I would have looked for perfection would have been in the heart of someone in the 'In crowd', certain no-one that beautiful and popular would have feels. I couldn't have been further from the truth, I did find perfection in one person when I was least expecting it. This is the story of how I lost perfection because my own silly prejudices. I'm Julie Gaffney and sometimes even I'm wrong.

"Where's Luis?" The coach asked as stood at the head of our lunch table, canceling practice for the day at last minute.

"Well," Charlie began. "It's the third Tuesday of the month so…"

"Breaking up with Angela Cooper." We all finished for him. It was almost a ritual.

You see Luis's had a bit of a reputation as being a ladies' man for a while, that was until he met Angela. She is what we call one of the beautiful people, a member of the 'A Crowd'. Silky blonde hair, blue eyes, a great body. Physically flawless. Perfection. He fell hard, she didn't. 

On cue Luis appeared, sliding into his usual seat by Dwayne, with a vacant expression on his face. Sometimes I had to feel for him, others I couldn't bring myself to care. He is the one that got involved with those heartless people to start with. It sort of served him right. He should've know better. Beauty is only skin deep.

I was laying flat on the floor of my room when I heard a knock at the door. I slipped my reading glasses off and rested them on my Geography book. I refused to wear my glasses in front of anyone, but my contacts had been bothering me that day. I walked to the door and looked through the peephole and saw Luis standing in the hall shifting from foot too foot. I laughed and opened the door.

"Hey Mendoza, what's up?" I queried with a smile.

He stopped fidgeting and replied. "I need a favor, can I come in?"

"Sure."

We walked into back into the room and I sat crossed legged on the floor. Luis plopped down on my bed. He sat there for a minute, cracking his knuckles without saying a word. Finally I pulled a piece of paper out my notebook, crumpled it up and tossed it at him. It hit my teammate square in the forehead and he blinked at me.

"Speak." I commanded.

"Oh, right, Julie, I need a favor."

I nodded my head and gestured for him to continue, wishing he'd spit out whatever he needed so I could get back too studying. The test was going to be killer.

"I need you to pretend you're my girlfriend."

"Luis, are going loco?" 

Luis frowned and shook his head. "No, I've gotta make Angela jealous Jules. I want to hurt her the way she hurt me. She broke up with me for another guy this time, Darren White."

"What makes you think I'd make her jealous?"

"Are you kidding? You're just what I need Julie, everyone knows you so you won't seem like you're beneath me, but you're not popular so it won't look like I'm just trying to out do Angel. Come on Jules."

That was only a little insulting. Nothing like asking someone for a favor while telling them they're actually not good enough for you. I should've been hurt by that, but over the years I'd taught myself not to care when the in crowd thought. As much as I hated to say it, Luis was one of those people at Eden Hall. 

"Why me? Ask Connie, she's so much prettier then me, she'd fit in better with those people."

"Those people are my friends Julie, besides I can't ask Connie, Guy will kick my butt. I need you, please."

"I'll think about it."

After Luis left I stood in front of my dorm room mirror glaring at my reflection. I wasn't thin enough, tall enough and my hair didn't shine enough. I was honor roll student, I never wore skirts and I loathed the color pink. Most of all I didn't judge people but what they looked like. At least that's what I told myself. I would never fit in with Luis's other friends. I was better then them. 


	2. I need an aspirin

'My butt is too big and my boobs are too small. My smile's crooked and my nose is pointy. This is not going to work at all.' That's what I was thinking as I stood in front of the mirror the next day, trying my best to look…right. Normally its not hard for me to pick out clothes, a shirt and some jeans. Little effort, but causal and cool. Not today, today I need to look a certain way. I don't think there's really anything I can do to make myself look beautiful.

"This is never going to work." I sigh aloud, flopping back onto the beanbag chair behind me. I wonder if Luis would be upset if I changed my mind and said I can't help him.

No, I can't do that too him, if there's one thing Julie Gaffney is, it's dependable. So I just need to get misfit butt up off this floor and change into something else. I must own something trendy, or at least borderline fashionable. Though if I don't, I could just go in my uniform and totally disgust all of Mendoza's snotty friends. That'll get me out of this predicament rather easily.

Damn, this may actually work. My black lace bra would look killer under this white oxford shirt, especially if I don't button the shirt all the way and tie it at the navel. I think I may even still have that short black shirt that went with my Halloween costume last year. I better look.

Ugh, what's worse not having anything to wear, or finding something and feeling totally out of our own skin in it? I look good, or at least what those brainless drones known as the 'A Group' would call good. I feel… cheap. *Sigh* But there's no use debating the fact, Luis is my friend and I gave him my word. I just need to bite my lip and get over it.

Well, here I am at the dining hall, awaiting my first performance. If I pull this off, I better get an Oscar, because it's going to take a lot of work. Anyway, evidently where you sit at the popular table, is a symbol of your power. Mendoza told me the most coveted seats are those by the window, I think that's where I'll sit. No-one else is down here yet so I kind of have free reign. I'm gonna have to stop being so early though, as they're all always late. Might as well go get my breakfast.

As I sit at the table, idly stirring some jam into my Cream of Wheat, I hear a chair beside me pull out. I lift my head too see if it's Luis, it's not. It however probably the one guy in school that has more girls crushing one him, Justin Matthews. Unlike Luis, Justin never seems to be dating anyone. I bet he's keeping himself open for Ms Right. *snorts* Yeah right.

"Hi, welcome too our table." Justin extends his hand and smiles at me. He actually does have a nice smile, and pretty, dark brown eyes. I guess he's sort of the male equivalent of Luis's Angela Cooper. "What are you doing here."

I blink, he spoke too me. One of the 'A Group' spoke too me. Is Satan wearing earmuffs? "I… um, Luis invited me. I'm kinda his new girlfriend. I'm-"

"Julie Gaffney. I know you're on the hockey team."

How many times have I heard that before? 'You're on the hockey team.' It's never, 'You're on national honor society.' or 'The president of Eden Hall's SADD chapter.' Nope I'm best known for being padded up till I look like a Suma wrestler and sweat. Maybe this why I can't get a real date.

"Yeah, that's me." I reply, sipping my orange juice. 

Justin takes a bite of his bagel and silence falls back over the table. Silence is good, I like silence. If I not talking, I'm not pretending to be someone that I'm not. Truthfully, I've only been doing it a matter of minutes and it already makes me feel guilty. I'm normally a very honest person, this is opened lying too an entire school. I feel dirty.

There's a bunch of high pitched giggling and I roll my eyes. The girls are here, fantastic. If there's one bunch of people more snotty then the 'A Group' boys, it's the 'A Group' girls. This is going to be interesting.

"Hey, Angela, Tiffany, Gina, this is Luis's friend, Julie." Justin introduces me and the girls all nod, feigning interest.

Then Angela's face lights up and she squeals. "I know you, you're the girl that dated that really yummy senior a few years ago."

Leave it to them to remember me by the four dates I went on with Scooter, three years ago. Gah, I have to pretend to be friends with these people. Remind me too tell my 'boyfriend' that I want some form of compensation for the mental anguish I'm going to suffer.

"Ooh, that's right you are. Tell me." Tiffany slides into a seat across from me, her green eyes wide. "Was he a good kisser?"

Oh Lord, if Luis doesn't get here soon, there's going too be a school shooting. I've only been talking to these people for *looks at watch* Ten minutes and already their stupidity overwhelms me. Why did I agree too this? Ugh, I need an aspirin…


	3. Movie night

At Eden Hall you're allowed to have practice during the school day in place of having GYM, so it's still early in the day. Most of my teammates often skip breakfast and , so a few of them haven't even seen me yet. I can't say I'm in a hurry too hear what they're going to say.

"Nice outfit, babe." Portman teases as I shove open the locker room door, tripping on my own shoes.

I scowl at him and grumble. "Bite me, Portman." With that I kick off one of my black platform loafers and sink eight inches too the floor. The shoe soars through the air and slams hard against Dwayne's locker with a clang. Our resident cowboy jumps back, pulling his head from inside it and looks around confused.

"So what's with the makeover, Cat-lady." Goldberg asks.

Charlie nods. "Yeah, you look really different."

"Thank you, Captain obvious." I roll my eyes. "That sorta **_was _**the whole idea."

"I think you look hot." Before I can open my mouth to respond too Les's comment the door opens again and someone else does.

"Shut up, Averman." Luis grunts, walking in. "And stop hitting on my girlfriend."

The lockerroom falls silent and I bite my lip. When the Ducks are quiet it's not generally a good thing. I shift under their gazes, uncomfortable. Adam and Portman look the most confused as I'd turned them both down at one time or another, saying it's not a good plan too date a teammate.

Luckily Russ finally finds his words. "**_You two_**, are going out?"

"Um, kinda." I say, before Luis gets the chance. "I'm pretending to be his girlfriend, so Angela will remember how much she misses him. It's not real."

"Ohhh." The group replies and turns to get back to changing.

"Speaking of which," My 'boyfriend' tosses an arm around me. "we're all meeting in Bryon Riley's room too watch a movie tonight. You coming, around 7 o'clock?"

I sigh. "I guess I have no choice. Come get me in my room when you're ready to head over."

I didn't go too lunch today, because my face still hurts from all the phony smiling I did at breakfast. My entire leg hurts from arch too thigh from wearing those stupid clothes. I was worried I wouldn't be able to do this emotionally, but I'm starting too think I'm not even **_physically_** capable to pull this off. But just when I'm about too throw in the towel, Luis shows up at my door in a pair of cotton drawstring shorts and a wife beater.

"That's a good look for you, Mendoza." I tease as he crosses the threshold. "It's big on the runways of Paris, I hear."

Luis raises an eyebrow. "Did I forget to tell you we wear our pajamas too movie nights?"

"Yes you did, but you don't have too tell me twice." I zoom to my dresser, then race into my bathroom too change. When I come out, my hideous miniskirt is gone and has been replace by gray sweats and my favorite Patrick Roy tee-shirt.

"You ready?" He questions when I step out.

"I just need one more thing." I open the draw on my desk and pull out a bottle of Tylenol. "I was practically praying for one at breakfast, your friends stupidity gives me a migraine."

Luis just chuckles and holds out his arms for me, shaking his head. Can't say I ever thought I'd be walking down the halls linked with such a popular, handsome guy. At least not after what happened between me and Scooter. I guess that's another story though, for another time.

We walk into Bryon's room without knocking and Luis gives him a high five. I however am suddenly frozen in place. Not only is Bryon one of the 'A Crowd' but he's also the little brother that Rick Riley blamed us for stealing the scholarship of. I guess he wasn't as upset about it as his older sibling, but still this is just, odd for me.

Luis gives my hand a little tug and I find myself moving forward.

"Hi, Julie!" Tiffany Thomas squeals, tossing her long red hair too the side.

I force a grin and wave, continuing too walk slowly. Yup, the essence of airhead just radiates off the walls in this room. It's practically strangling me.

"Hey Jewel, missed you at lunch." Justin says, from his perch on Bryon's bed. "Were you avoiding us."

Wow am I that transparent? "No, I wasn't hungry." I blatantly lie.

Gina Paulson hops up and turns out the light as Bryon hit's the play button on the remote control. I notice Luis has laid himself flat out on his stomach across Bryon's floor so I drop down next too him and rest my head on his back. This could almost be romantic, if my date wasn't who he is and his friends aren't who they are. Worst of all is I've seen this movie 20,000 times. I wonder if anyone will notice if my eyes drift closed….


	4. A walk to remember

"Julie, hey Jules, wake up." I open my eyes and realize that Luis has some how rolled out from under me and is shaking my arm lightly.  
  
Everyone else is gone, the movie is rewinding and there's what appears to be Bryon Riley's middle school hockey team sweatshirt under my head. I must have more then dozed off. Hanging out with the idiots can be tiring though. You have to give me credit for even staying awake through the previews.  
  
"Hey you," Luis brushes a piece of hair out of my face, "I was starting to think you weren't going to wake up and you'd be sleeping in here on Bry's floor tonight."  
  
The other boy smiles good heartedly. "Not that I'd mind the company, but I think my Dorm Supervisor may have a fit. Then the dean would call my dad, who would send Rick down to talk to me, it would just be a completely unnecessary hassle."  
  
"Well I'm glad I spared you from such trauma then. Ugh." I groan pushing myself up off the floor. "You should think about putting in some carpeting in here, Bryon. A girl could hurt her back."  
  
Luis blinks and I shrug, not knowing what he's looking at me like that for. Maybe I woke up with the waffle look on the side of my face. You know what I'm talking about, right? When you fall asleep with your head on your arm and wake up with the imprint of your sleeve on your cheek?  
  
Bryon laughs. "I'll take that into consideration, Gaffney. Sorry my presence wasn't enough to keep you awake and entertained. I'll see you guys around tomorrow."  
  
As Luis escorts me down the stairs from Bryon's room, he elbows me lightly in the side with a chuckle. "Look at you joking with Riley Jr. like you're friends."  
  
I rob my eyes and sigh. "It's too late for me to come up with a clever retort to that, Mendoza. Besides there you're friends right, I have to be nice."  
  
"Yeah, but you're kinda of going above and beyond. I know you didn't wanna go tonight, so thanks for coming."  
  
"That's what friends are for." I pat his arm lightly.  
  
"Yeah...hey, you wanna go for a walk real quick?"  
  
Honestly, I would just like to go lay down, I'm tired and it's late, but the campus is pretty at night. Especially tonight, the moon is huge and there are more stars in the sky then I've ever seen. Even the air is beautiful, it smalls so clean and fresh. It feels moist against my face. I guess I can't pass up such a gorgeous night just to sleep. Besides there's not school tomorrow so I can sleep all day.  
  
"Alright, yeah." I agree and he leads me off down one of the side paths.  
  
I'd like to say this is the most romantic night of my life and I suppose it would be if Luis wasn't with me. Not to mean, but he kind of makes my skin crawl. Now don't get me wrong I love the guy, but as a friend, a teammate, maybe even as a brother. But as far as dating prospects go, I'd rather call up Rick Riley or Cole. At least with them you know where you stand.  
  
After a short stroll through the grass, I discovered why he'd had the great idea. Angela Cooper is sitting out on blanket next to Andy Glass, staring at the stars. I've been set up.  
  
"Sly, Mendoza." I whisper as he wraps his left arm around my waist. "Very sly."  
  
He winks at me. "I thought so."  
  
We wave as we walk past the happy couple then promptly let's go of me when we're in the clear. It's a good thing I'm aware of the stipulations in this relationship, or else this would be awfully insulting. It's funny the length the 'A Group' will go to, to hurt one another. Although, it's sad. Oh well, they're not worth it anyway. I hear they eat their young.  
  
On the steps in front of my room, Luis and I stand there awkwardly for a moment, this is the point at most dates where you a have sweet goodbye kiss. This however is not a real date; I am not one of Luis's chippies ad he's certainly not my type. Not mention God only knows where that mouth of his has been. In fact I shutter to think.  
  
"Well thanks, Jules. You did good." He leans in and deposit's a soft kiss on my nose, I instantly giggle and Luis looks wounded.  
  
"Thanks for slobbering on my nose, Luis. Glad I didn't have to sneeze right then. It wouldn't have been too attractive of a kiss then. Now get going, I'm tired." I continue to laugh, turning into the lobby of my dorm.  
  
In my room I sit on the edge of my bed and wonder if that sweet gentle kiss in the one he gives every girl on the first date, or was I just being treated differently because we're playing a game. If he is, if he's really that tender at a goodbye, he's really grown in the past couple of years and I never realized it. Though I guess I've never really been that interested in looking to see if he was still the flirty Latin Lover from the Good-Will Games. To me he's just Luis. 


	5. Drown it in a Latte

Have you ever wanted to get away from life for awhile? To just drown your thoughts in a thick, foamy latte? That's what I was hoping to do when I got here twenty minutes ago. However, Justin just walked in and I think he spotted me.  
  
I would try to hide behind my copy of Dante's Inferno, but I think he's already seen me, so it wouldn't be worth the effort. Now don't get me wrong, our local Starbucks isn't the biggest in the world, but there are plenty of table he could sit at and let my go back to my day of nothingness, but I don't think that is going to happen.  
  
"Hey Julie, mind if I sit here?" Justin puts one of his hands on the back the chair across from me.  
  
I sigh and raise my eyes over then top of my book. "No, Mathews take a seat." I reply, trying my best to sound pleasant.  
  
It's hard to be sweet and polite all the time, ever though for some odd reason people expect me to be. Like having the name Julie Gaffney automatically makes you think of sunshine and daisies all the time. I am not made of sugar and rainbows as most of the student body seems to believe. It's especially hard to be perky when your entire plan for the day was to avoid 'The A Crowd' at all cost, and the poster child of BMC (big man on campus) wants to hang out with you.  
  
Just pulls out the chair and sits down, resting his coffee on the table and folding his hands. I bury my face behind the book again and sigh turning the page. If he was looking for friendly conversation, he won't find it here. At least not with me.  
  
"So, are you coming to my party next?" His voice breaks into my thoughts.  
  
I rest my book on the table and look over at him with arches eyebrows. "What party might that be? I haven't even heard about a party."  
  
"Oh, I thought for sure you knew already, Luis said he'd tell you. I got picked along with two guys from Blake and one from Henry Sibley to represent Minnesota in the mid Western tennis championships. My parents are letting me have a little get together at the Country Club to celebrate."  
  
Yup, that's really what I want to do, spend another day with the morally bankrupt group of adolescence. As if everyday with school isn't enough, now I can't even have my weekends to myself. I paste on my best smile and lather my voice in sticky sweetness. "Well congratulations, Justin, that's great. You must be a really good player."  
  
He grin brightly. " You'll be there, then right? It wouldn't be as much fun without you."  
  
He must be a great actor, he should try out for this year Christmas play.. I'm almost getting the impression he actually want to there. Give the man an Oscar, ladies and gentlemen. I roll my eyes and slip my drink. "I'm so glad I've been deemed worthy of a personal invitation."  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?" Justin raises his eyebrows.  
  
"If I wasn't dating Luis, you would never have invited someone like me to your party. I know it, and you know it."  
  
I watch as the normal friends and cheerful expression on his face turns sour. Pushing back form the table he asks "Let me ask you something Julie, if you weren't dating, Luis would ever even considered going?" With that he walks away leaving me sitting dumbfounded at the table. 


End file.
